The Massachusetts Spy, And Worcester County Advertiser

Agricultural.

Worcester County Agricultural Society.

The Committee on all Articles manufactured of Materials other than Cotton, Wool and Flax, make the following Report:

Among the variety of articles presented for their inspection, none seemed to attract more interest than the valuable products of the dairy. All Agricultural Societies have ever considered these as worthy of their particular patronage. And so great is the disparity, both in quality and price, between Butter and Cheese, neatly or improperly made, that a bare knowledge of the art will be sufficient to direct the family of the former to their best interests. In no one branch of our rural economy, has the influence of this Society been more manifest. It is scarcely ten years, since the practice was very general, (however, with many honorable exceptions,) to make sale of our Butter and Cheese to our own domestic traders, when it was taken, often reluctantly, at a very reduced price, and that was from not discriminating between Butter good or bad. The article was here thrown by the purchaser into tubs, and at the close of the season was disposed of in the Boston Market, for the most it would fetch.

But recently a great revolution of sentiment among most of our farmers has taken place. We observe there is more attention bestowed in the selection of Cows—more exactness in properly stocking the pastures—we notice almost every considerable dairy-farm is ornamented with an ice-house. Faithful and regular marketmen take off the boxes containing the products at proper intervals, and return a price from the market, proportioned to the quality and character of the article and the dairy from whence it came. This produces an honorable competition. Neat and faithful dairy maids are in greater demand, and even in the selection of a wife there is apparently more fastidiousness than formerly.

The result of all is, that the profit of dairying is wonderfully increased, principally by supplying the tables at our domestic market with wholesome fresh butter, rather than by turning it off to the Butter Inspector for exportation.

In the article of Cheese it is to be regretted that so few can be induced to enter the lists with our far-famed town of New Braintree—to be vanquished in such a contest ought not to be any mortification. Of twenty-five competitors, for premiums upon this article, all, with one exception, were from that town.

In Butter, there were nine rival claimants from different towns; and so difficult was it to judge, among so much excellence, that the Committee were induced to recommend an additional premium upon both these articles.

Many of our Grass Bonnets may fairly vie with the noted fabrics of Leghorn, and consequently might transfer to our fair country-women the enormous sums that are now paid as an unworthy tribute to the effeminate daughters of Italy, for an expensive, although not an useless ornament. Your Committee had again to lament the paucity of the specimens offered to our exhibition. Two only were presented, and although not fully completed, yet we considered were deserving a premium, from the strength and fineness of the fabric.

The dressing of Leather has always been an important branch of domestic industry in this County, and is deserving of public patronage. Of good Leather we had five lots, and had no difficulty in giving a preference. But two specimens of Calf Skins were offered, both so excellent in their quality, that a decision could not be had until after much hesitation. There were three lots of Morocco Skins all highly finished, but that from the noted Tannery in Ashburnham, after some hesitation, was considered the best.

The manufacture of Chairs has furnished employment to large numbers of our citizens, in various towns. Too little regard has been had to the stock and workmanship, so that their character has suffered in the market. Many of the manufacturers have had more regard to the fidelity of their work, and to taste and skill in the finishing. Such are deserving of encouragement and of public applause. Eighteen were offered from Sterling, highly wrought and tastefully ornamented, and the Committee availed themselves of the discretionary fund, allowed by the Trustees, and awarded them a premium.

On Card-wire, No. 32, but a single specimen was offered.

On Cider, also, we had no competition, one barrel was offered from Millbury—the liquor was excellent, but not accompanied by any evidence of the materials of which it was composed, or of the process by which it was manufactured. This was the more to be regretted, as the condition of having it examined by the whole Society at their table, it is believed, was strictly complied with. If evidence shall be seasonably offered, to the Trustees, that the mode by which this Cider was made is useful to the community, we recommend the premium.

Many other articles of taste and utility, added much to the interest of the exhibition, but were not offered for premiums. Among others, we noticed a tub or vat of ingenious construction, for the purpose of scalding Hogs, exhibited by Otis Lane, of Worcester—an Ox yoke, highly finished—some beautiful Indispensables, Trunks, Boxes and Mats, of Straw, wrought by Lois Longley, of Boylston, and Mrs. Eliza Briant, of Worcester—two wrought Crickets, by Miss Harriet E. Henshaw, of Worcester—three delicate Paintings, by Mary Ann Kimberley, of Worcester—a Rifle Gun, by Clarendon Wheelock, of Worcester.

The following were the premiums awarded:

On Cheese.—Elisha Mathews, of New-Braintree, 1st premium, $10—Job Rainger, of New-Braintree, 2d premium, $5—Ebenezer Tidd, of New-Braintree, for Old Cheese, 3d premium, $3.

On Butter.—Stephen Hastings, of Sterling, 1st premium, $7—Stillman Fitch, of Sterling, 2d premium, $5—David P. Chase, of Millbury, 3d premium, $3.

On Seal Leather.—Jacob W. Watson, of Princeton, $10.

On Calf Skins.—Brigham & Knox, of Dudley, $10.

On Morocco.—Walter Russell, of Ashburnham, $6.

On Chairs.—Gilson Brown, of Sterling, $5.

On Card-wire.—Flint Snow, of Leicester, $5.

On Cider.—Rev. Joseph Goffe, of Millbury, $6, subject to the opinion of the Trustees—

On Grass Bonnets.—Columbian Manufacturing Company, at Southbridge, $3.

All submitted by Order of the Committee.

ISAAC GOODWIN, Chairman.

Worcester Oct. 12, 1825.